The Catherine/Heathcliff parallel
(Anonymous)
"But Lily is never, at any point, a saint. Rowling clearly modelled her on Catherine Earnshaw, just as she modelled Severus on Heathcliff."
Why do you say 'clearly'? Has Rowling actually said this? (I wouldn't know -- I don't read her website or follow many of her interviews.) I mean, it's not MY personal interpretation but you're welcome to think it. And it's not a perfect literary parallel, as you yourself acknowledge.
"I'm not saying that Lily = Catherine Earnshaw, any more than Severus = Heathcliff. But, having chosen to rewrite a part of Wuthering Heights in her opus, Rowling does have Lily replicate some of Catherine's unpleasant behavior."
Yeah, but if that were the case, then Rowling has Severus replicate some of Heathcliff's abusive behaviour to Catherine's daughter (and his own son), doesn't she?
For the record, I regard Snape as a FAR better man than Heathcliff (whom I loathe, actually. He and Cathy richly deserve each other!) Despite his bitterness and his emotional issues, Severus managed to turn his life around. He is more human than Heathcliff, braver than Heathcliff, and his behaviour to Harry is never as bad as Heathcliff's to Cathy Junior, IMO.
"To then hold her up as the paragon of mother love is downright odd, IMHO."
If you see a strong parallel between Lily and Cathy, then I guess that would strike you as odd.
I don't see the parallel, myself.
-- Pearlette
Why do you say 'clearly'? Has Rowling actually said this? (I wouldn't know -- I don't read her website or follow many of her interviews.) I mean, it's not MY personal interpretation but you're welcome to think it. And it's not a perfect literary parallel, as you yourself acknowledge.
"I'm not saying that Lily = Catherine Earnshaw, any more than Severus = Heathcliff. But, having chosen to rewrite a part of Wuthering Heights in her opus, Rowling does have Lily replicate some of Catherine's unpleasant behavior."
Yeah, but if that were the case, then Rowling has Severus replicate some of Heathcliff's abusive behaviour to Catherine's daughter (and his own son), doesn't she?
For the record, I regard Snape as a FAR better man than Heathcliff (whom I loathe, actually. He and Cathy richly deserve each other!) Despite his bitterness and his emotional issues, Severus managed to turn his life around. He is more human than Heathcliff, braver than Heathcliff, and his behaviour to Harry is never as bad as Heathcliff's to Cathy Junior, IMO.
"To then hold her up as the paragon of mother love is downright odd, IMHO."
If you see a strong parallel between Lily and Cathy, then I guess that would strike you as odd.
I don't see the parallel, myself.
-- Pearlette